Christmas Miracle
by BlossomOfEdelweiss
Summary: I don't own The Sound of Music. I just write for fun and not profit. Not sure if I will leave it as is or add another chapter, if time permits. Was trying to get this up in time for the proboard advent calendar, but I'm a teacher and wasn't quick enough to get it typed up, but here it is anyways. Hope you all enjoy and Merry Christmas!


Christmas Miracles

Maria stepped back from the little tree to observe her handiwork. It wasn't the largest tree ever, but it was beautiful all lit up, the lights dancing off its long sparkling branches in the quaint little cottage on the outskirts of Salzburg. She had come to live in the cozy cottage shortly after leaving the Von Trapp villa back in August. She fled back to the abbey, but it was there that it became apparent that she was not meant to be a nun and didn't really belong living in a cloistered lifestyle. The Reverend Mother helped her find a teaching position and a place to live, but her thoughts often wandered back to those summer months when she had been the happiest she had ever been and her heart was still mending from the loss she felt at being separated from the children and if she was truthful with herself from their father as well.

She wondered how they were doing...what they were doing...how they were doing and how he was doing. A shiver went up her spine as she pulled her robe closer around her body and threw another log on the fire. She watched as the flames danced around the log changing in hues of red, orange, blue and yellow as it consumed the new fuel with its crackling sounds. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a lite tapping at the door. The sound startled her and she couldn't imagine anyone being out on Christmas Eve in the snowstorm that had been brewing for the better part of the day. She didn't have the heart to leave anyone stranded and in need, especially on this night of all Holy Nights. She moved towards the door and cautiously opened it to reveal a well dressed gentleman looking off in the other direction down the road.

As soon he heard the door click, Captain Von Trapp turned around, "I'm sorry to disturb you, but my car...," he stopped mid sentence and just stared at the woman standing before him, blinking twice before allowing himself to believe what he was seeing, then almost in a whisper, he breathed her name, "Maria."

Maria, wide-eyed, swallowed hard, "Captain Von Trapp."

"Yes, well I was driving you see and the blizzard got so bad that I could no longer see far and it became to dangerous to continue. Do you have a phone by any chance?"

"No, I'm afraid not, but you should come in before you catch cold." He stepped inside the cottage, taking notice of the humble surroundings that were decidedly very Maria, yet very cozy. "You might as well take your coat off, Captain, and warm yourself by the fire." She peaked out the window, "by the looks of it you may be here awhile."

He quickly warmed his hands by the fire and turned back toward the petite Fraulein. Giving her a tender look that melted her insides he asked, "So how are you, Fraulein?"

"I'm well, and yourself?"

"As well as can be expected I suppose. We all miss you, the kids...and myself included."

"I have some hot apple cider, would you like some?" He nodded and as she moved to the kitchen to retrieve two mugs she could feel his eyes intensely follow her. She returned handing him one of the steaming mugs. He couldn't keep his eyes from her no matter how hard he tried, but he forced himself to look around the room, "So you live here now?"

"Yes, it's mine."

"Uh...by yourself?" He held his breath for her answer.

She gave him a half smile, "Yes, Captain, by myself." She didn't know if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but it looked as if he had completely relaxed at her words. "When I went back to the abbey, I came to a point where I realized that being a nun was not a good fit for me. The Reverend Mother helped me find a teaching position and this cottage to live in. It's not much, but I do love the freedom I now have."

She watched as the features on his face hardened. "You left without saying good-bye, even to the children. Why did you?"

She turned away from him and walked across the room to stare out the window, "Please don't ask me, anyways the reason no longer exists."

His tone softened a bit, "Maria, please. Why did you run away? I know it wasn't because of the children. Was it because of me? Did I say or do something that upset you?"

She bit her lower lip and looked down at the window sill, "No...I...I was frightened I suppose."

"Frightened? Did someone threaten you?" He knew he had made many recent enemies and he could feel his fingers ball into a tight fist that one of them may have said or done something...

The alarmed tone in his voice caused her to answer him in haste, "Oh no...no, not at all...well there was the baron...oh I shouldn't say such things. It really doesn't matter any longer and you're now married."

"Maria," there it was again, her given name rolling off of his rich baritone voice. It caused her to shiver with delight. Did he really have to torture her in such a way? "Maria," he began again while turning her to face him, "I'm not married."

She looked up at him with a confused look on her face, "You're not?"

He started to nervously pace the room and waved his hand in the air in a flippant manner, "Shortly after you left, we just realized it wasn't meat to be. We just wanted very different things and we couldn't agree on what those things were."

"Oh, like what, Captain?"

"Oh you know, she wanted the wealth, the notorious parties, the children in boarding schools and I wanted family dinners at home, my children close by, and...," he paused for a moment, stopping his pacing and looking straight at her, eyebrows raised and head cocked to one side, "you."

The last word was spoken so softly she thought she hadn't heard him correctly, but she could feel her heart quicken its pace as he stepped closer to her once more, closing the gap between them. All he needed was to see that gleaming hope of light displayed in her crystal blue eyes and he knew that he was correct about her feelings for him. He reached for her chin and she could barely bring herself to breathe as he drew her lips closer to his. At first contact she instantly melted into him. It was short, but soft and tender and exceeded any and all expectations she had ever dreamed of. He parted from her and gave her a soft, gentle smile that reached up to his twinkling eyes. She couldn't hold on any longer and finally collapsed into his arms, using him to help her to stay standing because she could feel her knees giving way in response to the spinning sensation that surrounded her body.

When she finally regained her composure she stepped back from him, "I'm sorry, Captain, I'm sorry for leaving like I did...I was just confused and you...and the baroness...she said..."

He reached up and put a finger over her lips. "I know what the baroness said. She confessed it to me after we decided to part ways. She couldn't have been farther from the truth. I love you Maria." With those words he gathered into her into his arms again and slowly consumed her lips with his. This time the kiss went much deeper and left her breathless for more. Her arms slowly moved up his chest and around his neck where her hands found the soft wave of his dark hair. His hands began to wander to places that he had only dreamed of moving them and he could hear a sharp intake of breath from her lips. He pulled away afraid to go any farther and gently moved her to sit on the couch with him.

He turned to her and ran the back of his hand against her cheek. "I'm so glad I wound up here tonight. I don't think it's coincidence that I got stuck out in the storm."

"Where were you headed, Captain, on Christmas Eve? As grateful as I am that you showed up at by door by accident, shouldn't you have been home with your children? They must be worried about you."

"Probably, but they must have guessed by now that I had to find shelter elsewhere. Hopefully by morning I will be able to make it there before they wake up. I was out visiting...well, I went to put flowers on Agathe's grave. It's something I haven't done in awhile, but I think a part of me needed to do it tonight as part of me just deciding that it's time to move on with my life. She would have wanted that for me."

She looked at him with eyes that said she understood. "I see Captain."

"Maria, it's Georg now."

She laughed and he marveled at how much he had missed that sound. "I'll try, but it will be hard to break the old habit. You are after all my Captain, Georg and I love you too."

A crooked grin spread across his face and he took both of her hands. "Maria, I never want to let you go again. I think we both know that we were meant for one another and think it's nothing short of miracle that we met this way tonight, God orchestrated without a doubt. I guess what I'm trying to say and I might be a bit impulsive, but I want you to marry me. It would be the best Christmas gift ever for me and my children."

"Oh, Captain...I mean Georg, of course I will. I've longed for this from the moment I left the villa."

"The children are going to be so surprised in the morning. You will come with me and spend Christmas with us?"

She smiled and snuggled into his arms on the couch, "Yes, I would love to." They both settled back on the couch and fell asleep in front of the warm fire, eager for the morning to arrive. It was indeed a wonderful feeling to finally be together.


End file.
